Change is the Norm in WAC Football

Dodge City is the latest Western Athletic Conference school to search and eventually find a new head football coach. Beloit native Dave Foster takes over the Red Demon program after a successful run in Elk City, Oklahoma. The former Ness City and Haven coach led the Elks to five playoff appearances in six years. He replaces Justin Burke who resigned in early February. Burke violated KSHSAA rules when his zero-hour conditioning class played football February 3. Burke coached the past five years at Dodge City and led them to an 8-3 season and a 26-21 record in his five years. The 2010 season will mark a year in which both Dodge City and Garden City have different head football coaches. Garden City Community College offensive coordinator Brian Hill took the Garden City High School job in February. He is a 15 year junior college assistant at Garden since 2000 and Hutchinson from 1995-1999. Hill replaces Mike Smith who resigned after eight years as Garden’s head coach. The Buffaloes were 4-5 in 2009. He finishes 36-30 at Garden. He led them to sub-state in 2002. Liberal hired their fifth different head coach in five years Wade Standley from Tulsa Union before the 2009 season. Liberal High graduate Ryan Cornelsen led the Hays Indians to an undefeated WAC title in his first year as head coach after coaching at Lacrosse. Great Bend’s Bo Black is the only WAC coach to have coached at the same school for more than one year. The 2010 season will be Black’s ninth.